Backshells are used to provide electrical shielding and physical protection for electrical connectors in any number of applications. Split backshells are preferred in many applications, due to the ease with which they can be installed and removed. For weight- and mass-sensitive applications, however, the steel screws and threaded lugs that are required to secure these split backshells render them unacceptably heavy. One approach to providing lightweight backshells involves installing single-piece backshells into a cable assembly at the time of fabrication. These single-piece backshells are difficult, if not impossible, to remove from the cable assemblies after installation.